St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-05-21
COvINGTON ST. TAMMANY PARISH La. MAY p, 1887.
GOLD-FAcED DEAD MEN.

GOLD-FAcEO DEAD MEN.
Basishing Gr.ve-Yards by the AdoptIos ol
/ the Eleetro-Piating Process.
An ingenious Philadelphian has de-
rised process for the preservation OF
bodies which will cause blush Of envy
and modification tO mantle the wrinkled
cheek Of the most ancient mummy the
tOmbs of Egypt can produce. BY this
new method future generations may
have the pleasure Of gazing upon their
ancestry in a close semblance of their
natural form. with shape and outline
carefully preserved and the whole body
bcautified beyond the utmost possibili-
ties of nature. No more will departed
friends and relatives be treasured up as
bundles of rags and bones or as pinches
Of ashes in cinersry urns, but in the
full form and size of their ante-mortem
existence. The means by which this
wonderful transformation is to be ac-
complished is but a new application OF
AN old principle long in use in mechanic
arts. 1t is simply the old and familiar
f; process Of electro-plating. which fur
/; nishes modern households with so many
, articles of ornament and utility.
The method of its application in the
preservation of bodies is as follows:
!. The corpse is first thoroughly washed
/. with alcohol. or with solution Of
caustic potash followed by very dilute
nitric acid. in order to cleanse the body
and remove all traces of oily or greasy
exudations. Then the entire surface Of
the body. from which all hair must be
entirely removed, is busted over with
finely powdered plumbago. care being
taken to cover every portion Of the SUR
face. As the purpose of the plumbago
is to furnish . conducting surface. any
uncovered spot upon the corpse would
cause a break in the plating. The
Africanized remnant Of humanity is
then immersed in a bath Of metallic
solution containing lump of the metal
with which it is desired to coat the body.
To the piece Of metal is attached the
positive pole Of u strong galvanic bat
terry or powerful dynamo-electric ma
chine. and the negative pole is con-
necte1 with the body. The action of
the powerful current of electricity inn
mediately commences, covering the
body with fine film of metal, which is
deposited evenly over the entire surface.
As long rs the electrical current is un-
interrupted the deposit of the metal
continues, and the coating may thus be
made of any desired thickness. In n
length of time proportiOned to the
strength of the electrical current the
entire body may he euveloped in a
metallic shroud an eighth or quarter
Of an inch in thickness. or even more If
desired. By this impervious coat the
remains are thus perfectly protected
from decay. and may be preserved for
an indefinite number Of years.
Outside of its advantages as method
Of preserving remains this process has
great commercial and artistic value.
The morgues of the various large cities
would furnish an ample supply Of ma
terial which might easily he worked up
into nickel-plated dummies for use by
clothiers and dry goods merchants in
displaying garments and dress goods.
With limbs and body arranged in grace
full pOstures. an unclaimed body could
readily be transformed into valuable
work of art. Dying gladiators. wrest-
lers and Greek and Roman figures coulo
he reproduced in unlimited numbers.
Thus the unknown suicide and bodies
iished from ponds and rivers could find
final resting places in art museums or
fashionable parlors instead Of being cut
and sawed asunder by the ambitious
medical student.
One can readily imagine the feelings
of pride with which the man Of a hum
dred years hence would lead his visitor
into his mortuary chamber and point
out each member IF his silver-plated
ancestry. beautifully polished and nat
urally grouped about the room. There
would be in those days no need for an
expensive burial lot in fashionable
cemetery. and there would be no use
for the costly and OstentatiOus funeral
of to-day. In those days the under
taker would simply be an expert electro
platter, and instead of a roomful Of
sample coffins and caskets he would
simply exhibit few pieces of polished
metal and inquire If his customer:
..How would you like to have the de-
ceased finished-in copper. nickel. silver
or gold?"
To the man Of the future who has a
taste for art and antiques this process
offers great possibilities. Ancestors
plated with silver or nickel would be
far more artistic ornaments than the
rusty and ancient suits Of armor which
are so highly priced in these days.
Armed with lance and shield a grand
father thus prepared would furnish a
valuable addition to any collection of
antiques and bric-a-brac. Beautiful ef-
fects could be produced by plating
bodies with copper, which by atmOs-
pheric action soon assumes the appear
ance of a beautiful bronze. BY the use
of plush or velvet these bronzes could
easily be mounted after the fashion of
to-day. A copper-covercd relative, well
finished and polished. might be exhib-
tied rs an excellent specimen Of repousse
work. The use of gold would produce
a piece of preserved pedigree more valu-
able, more novel and far more beauti-
81 &hsu thu f~vrno,,s s,.,lJ f..cxJ v,,,,,rn